Occupying Government in Sacramento: Boomerang on the 1%

In places as close as Richmond, California and as far away as South America, people have been combining strong social and electoral movements, so that their governments make decisions for the 99%, not the 1%. We can create participatory democracyand run to win in our representative democracy, side by side.

THE PAST, AND THE 1%: In past elections a majority of people exercised only three choices: vote Democratic, vote Republican, or don’t vote. The 1% loves that system and calls it democracy.

THE PRESENT: Elections changed in California in June 2010 when a so-called “Open Primary” was approved. People like the idea of voting for anyone regardless of political party. But it has a catch, and should be called “Top Two Primary.” Only two candidates go to the November election. Where this has been tried in the past, only incumbents and highly-funded candidates – the 1% candidates – were left standing. But this can boomerang!

THE FUTURE: People in South America – especially the young and impoverished – are voting in much greater numbers than ever before. The 1% loses big. In many South American countries, contrary to the misrepresentation of mainstream media and the powers-that-be, the disparity of wealth is decreasing, and education, healthcare, and people’s participation in their governments are improving. The “Top Two Primary” can boomerang on the 1%. In primaries for California state offices, we can vote for anyone regardless of political party, so we can freely vote for Green, Peace and Freedom, and independent candidates who are not controlled by corporate campaign cash! Then in November we will have real choices. What happened in South America can happen here.

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About Laura Wells: SolutionsI ran for Controller in California in 2014 on a State Bank and Tax The Rich platform. I am part of the “No Corporate Money” Campaign, in which candidates pledge to take no corporate money and voters declare our intention to vote for no-corporate-money candidates. As a Green Party candidate for Governor of California in 2010, I was arrested outside a gubernatorial debate for “trespassing at a private party.” But we won't stop, and so let's create a "public party" where we debate solutions to California's finances, like implementing a State Bank and taxing the rich -- to reduce the disparity and open up opportunities. Twitter: @LauraWellsCA